RWBY: Burning Bridges
by No1OfConsequence
Summary: So this story doesn't need to be told, but I'm going to tell it anyway. Ever wonder how Ember found out about Cinder's plans? Find out, and also see how Ember made the choice to go to Haven Academy. Rated T for... mature themes? I could probably rate it K , but I don't want it to get pulled because of a underrating.


**The title is metaphorical, not literal. Otherwise, I would not have named it such.**

 **I do not have any rite to writing for RWBY other than as a fan fiction author.**

* * *

Ember leaned back in her chair and put her feet up on her desk. The long, reinforced, black boots made a clank when it hit the wooden desk.

She put her gloved hands on her face, rubbing her chin contemplatively. She picked up the habit from her father. Not that her mother wasn't around, it's just something she picked up. She had a lot on her mind.

Cinder was visiting, and that meant she wanted something. Every time she came here, she asked for something from her father. It was usually something that made him go away for a while, which made for a lousy week. She did not like Cinder one bit.

But to get her mind off that, she took up her scroll and looked at what was on it: an application to Haven Academy. But she wasn't going to Haven.

She didn't like the idea of being a Huntress. She wanted to choose her own destiny. And her family had given enough for the world; let someone else save it once and a while. She wanted to, and had the ability to become a singer.

After a long time of wander aimlessly through her mind, there was a knock on the door. "Yes?" she shouted back.

The door opened. _Not what I meant._ It bugged her that someone would just open the door to her room just because she responded to their turned her head to see the intruder.

Cinder came through the doorway, holding a pitcher of… something. It was a greenish liquid with something that looked like it belonged in a horror movie at the bottom. Some kind of… flowery thing—she really didn't know. It freaked her out a little.

Cinder walked through the room, and placed the pitcher on the desk. She also seemed to be carrying two glasses, which were obscured by the pitcher, and the bad angle which Ember first saw her at.

"Tea?" Cinder offered.

That stuff is tea? "No thanks." It wasn't anything against tea, but the thing in the pitcher.

"Suit yourself." Cinder poured herself a glass, and started sipping it.

"You know, I'm not supposed to have any liquids in my room."

"It doesn't matter." And Ember didn't press the matter further.

She did, however, notice Cinder glancing over to where Ember's staff—Inferno—was set leaning up against one of the posts of Ember's bed.

"So, I'm guessing you came here for another reason than to bring me tea," Ember said.

"Correct." She walked a little farther away from the desk; forcing Ember to put her legs down to turn to face her. "I could use your help with something."

"I don't care what you're trying to do, but I don't want any part of it," Ember said in a resolute voice.

"You don't understand. I want you to go to Haven, to… pursue your education, but I want you to do something for me while you're there." She walked over to the open door and closed it. "I want you to as I ask when I tell you to in the tournament later this year."

"What, do you want me to take a fall for someone else, or…?"

"No, nothing like that." And Cinder explained the full extent of her plan.

Ember was appalled. Something like that… Something like that should be stopped, not done! And by Cinder no less! Unthinkable.

"You think I'll do that?" Ember said. She hoped this was all some kind of sick joke.

"No, I know you'll do it." Cinder's eyes began glow.

"Never! Never in a thousand year will I ever to something like that! Take your tea and go!"

"Fine!" Cinder spat out.

She grabbed the pitcher, and stormed out. At least she was polite.

But her plan… somebody had to be warned! She couldn't tell her dad, though; he would just leave and do it himself, or he was a part of the plan already. But she didn't know anyone else who could stop them.

That's when Ember decided something: she would stop Cinder. She had to.

And to do that, she needed to go to Haven—there was no way she could best Cinder in a physical confrontation, so she needed the training.

She grabbed her scroll, and began typing rapidly. She had to read through it twice just to get rid of all the mistakes she had made, but she did it. She had filled out her application to Haven.

* * *

That night at dinner, Cinder was there. The tension was high, or at least Ember imagined it was. She had a little trouble telling. But she had to be careful of what she said here.

The dinner table was silent. There may have been nothing to talk about, but dinner was excellent; Spaghetti with meatballs—one of Ember favorites. Usually her father would tell her mother that it was excellent—or the exchange would be reversed, at least—but the table was silent. A fly's footfall would be distinctly heard.

So she decided to break the silence. "So I applied for Haven."

She was met by congratulations from her parents. "That's great, Ember. I'm proud of you," her father said.

"You made a wise decision, Ember," Cinder said. She didn't need congratulations from her enemy. She was disgusted at Cinder's approval.

But then she realized that she was following exactly what Cinder asked her to. She shivered, and continued eating.

Conversation did not improve, and eventually, Cinder excused herself. She had no idea why she would, other than perhaps go to the bathroom, but she didn't come back at all. That was odd, because there was still food on her plate. Of course, she really didn't know much about her, so there may have been some other reason.

After Cinder left, her father spoke up. "I can't believe you're doing it." His tone was hush and disapproving.

"I'm not; I'm stopping her," Ember replied.

"How? By doing exactly what she wants you to do?"

"I don't know yet, but I'm not going along with her plan."

They stopped talking, and spent the rest of dinner without speaking a word. Agonizing.

* * *

They next day, Cinder left again. She had cleared out her belonging from the guest room, and left. Good. Ember was glad to see her leave.

She had already sent the application digitally to Haven, so she would hear back from them soon.

She sat on the roof, watching the sky. One wrong move and she would slide off. It was still a nice place to watch the clouds, though.

Of course, there were no clouds. It was one of those days where the entire sky was gray from cloud coverage. She was sure there was a word for that, but she couldn't think of it. It depressed her.

She climbed back into her window, and took her scroll from off her desk. She sat down, put her feet up on the desk, and leaned back. She needed to make a call.

* * *

 **I was going to introduce the idea that Ember and Rain met each other online, but I decided against it.**


End file.
